Honey Lavender Ice Cream

4.33 from 28 votes

Creamy lavender ice cream is naturally sweetened with honey and boasts a lovely, light floral flavor of fresh lavender flowers.

Prep Time6

Cook Time10

Total Time6 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: honey lavender ice cream, lavender ice cream

Servings:

Combine milk, cream, honey, salt, and lavender in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and stir well to ensure the honey is dissolved and all ingredients are combined.
Remove from heat and allow the lavender to steep in the mixture for around 30 minutes, tasting occasionally to get the flavor right where you want it.
Strain the lavender from the mixture and return the mixture to the pot. You will want to strain the lavender so you’re not chewing into the leaves.
Place the cream mixture back over medium-low heat. Once hot, whisk egg yolks separately in a small bowl. Gradually whisk 1⁄2 cup of the warm cream mixture into the egg yolks, stirring quickly and steadily to temper the yolks and prevent curdling.
Add this egg mixture to the remaining cream mixture in the medium saucepan, whisking well.
Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for around 10 minutes or until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Chill the custard by pouring it into a bowl and refrigerating for a few hours.
After it has chilled, pour the custard into your ice cream maker. You can add lavender buds now if you'd like. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for making the ice cream.
Once the ice cream is thickened, pour it into a freezer-safe container and freeze for a minimum of four hours before serving.

This ice cream can have a strong or subtle flavor depending on how much lavender you use and how long you steep it. Keep in mind that a little can go a long way.
If you're going for a more subtle lavender flavor, shorten the steeping time.
Ensure your ice cream machine canister is frozen completely before using it. You will want to make sure the custard mixture is completely chilled before churning, as this is also very important.
You could easily make this recipe with dried "culinary grade" lavender during the winter months. Just taste the mixture as it steeps to monitor the strength of flavor.